FUEL THE ENGINE

FUEL THE ENGINE

By – SIMON DONATO, PhD

For cyclists, winter is a time of base miles, comfort foods, and perhaps more beer or wine than normal. However, with warmer weather on the horizon, we will soon be able to spin some freshly shaved legs and shiny carbon on our local roads and trails in an ode to spring. Just as we will give the bikes a pre-season inspection and tune, we should make time to tune our diet as well. With more time spent outside, and training volume increasing, our nutritional demands will follow.

To properly fuel this increase it’s important to focus on eating nutrient dense foods, which are typically whole foods, with minimal or no processing. From there, you will want to ensure that you feed your engine with regularity – 4 to 6 smaller meals per day.

If winter was too good to you and you are looking to drop a few pounds to enter cycling season in peak form, you’ll get there faster by focusing on diet, rather than simply relying on training alone.

Simon Donato, PhD, is the host of the television show Boundless on the Travel + Escape and Esquire Channels, Founder of Adventure Science, and President Stoked Oats Ltd. Find him on Twitter @adventuresimon!